There’s sunny optimism and there’s willful blindness – not to mention lying through one’s teeth. Which do you think Labor’s Jason Clare is up to, here?
Federal cabinet minister Jason Clare says Palestinians coming to Australia would not have “any sympathy for Hamas”, after weeks of senior Labor MPs refusing to say whether rhetorical support for the terror organisation would prevent someone coming into the country.
In fact, we have it on the ASIO boss’ word that supporting Hamas would still be a green light to enter Australia – and almost certainly never leave.
As for Jason Clare, perhaps he ought to talk to Gaza’s Arab neighbours and ask why not a single one of them will admit refugees from that benighted territory. Or is he simply determined to force Australia to learn the same bitter lessons that Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria have learned about letting Palestinians in the gates?
“I don’t think anybody that’s coming has any sympathy for Hamas,” Mr Clare told Sky News on Thursday. “We’ve condemned the actions of Hamas on October 7. I think any reasonable person would.”
In which case, Palestinians and their moronic supporters in the West are clearly not reasonable people. Or does Mr Clare need reminding that polling conducted in Palestine by the Palestinians themselves showed that at least 70 per cent supported Hamas and even more cheered on Hamas’ atrocities on October 7.
Or does he need to actually start paying attention to the drooling mobs of anti-Semites marching weekly in Australian cities, declaring their support for Hamas, whom they call ‘resistance’, not terrorists, as they are?
Clare’s levels of delusion only get loonier.
“Often these are people who are doctors, who are nurses, who are dentists, who are engineers, people who can make a great contribution to this country.”
If they’re going to make such a great contribution to our country, why did they clearly not do the same for their own country? After all, Gaza had 20 years of self-rule, along with free electricity and water from Israel and tens of billions of dollars in aid from the rest of the world. And, yet, despite all these nurses, dentists, and engineers, their country was still a shithole.
Mostly because the doctors and nurses were all working for Hamas, and the engineers were busy cutting up the water pipes to make rockets.
Unless Jason Clare sees Australia’s future in rockets and tunnels, it’s hard to think of how his magic Palestinians will contribute a jot to this country.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson cast doubt on Mr Clare’s claim that none of the Palestinian to have arrived in Australia had sympathy for Hamas, which governs in Gaza.
“I wish I could share Jason Clare’s confidence that there are no Hamas supporters among the thousands of Gaza residents the Albanese government has given tourist visas,” he said. “But how would he know if his government hasn’t even asked? We know these visas were issued without a face-to-face interview, let alone a biometric identity check.
“The sad truth is we know many people in Gaza do support Hamas and our social cohesion won’t be improved by bringing in supporters of listed terrorist organisations.”
In fact, the visas were issued online and often in an hour or less. Clearly, then, the vetting process was as rigorous as a rubber stamp.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke did not respond when asked whether evidence supported Mr Clare’s statement.
Guess Little Jaysie’s own colleagues don’t share his Pollyanna optimism.
